If you are a Mangalorean, then surely you would have visited Hao Hao/Hao Ming right from your Childhood along with Family. As you got older, the scene changed from family to friends and whenever it was someone's birthday, THE place to celebrate was Hao Hao/Hao Ming. Finally, after getting a job, I am sure if someone got promoted, they would want to give a treat to their colleagues at this place. Basically, no matter what occasion, a visit to Hao Hao/Hao Ming was compulsory.
My maiden visit to Hao Ming was in the year 1996 when my parents and I had visited Mangalore from States. We love Indian-ized Chinese a lot because the taste is different from what we used to eat over there. We got hooked to the authentic taste and would always Dine In during our visits to our home country.
Last year, I had read about Hao Hao opening at a new location in Kankanady. After seeing the photos and reading the reviews, I thought I have to visit this place to see what the hype is all about.
On Monday evening, my husband and I went for dinner to the New Hao Hao Chinese Family Restaurant. The time was 9:00 PM and luckily, we got parking right outside the Restaurant.
When we went inside, we saw a small waiting area and to the right was the Billing Counter. The Arch separated the waiting area and the restaurant, and as we entered, we could see many of the tables were already taken. The Ambiance is very nice with minimum lighting. The colors of the furniture, table mats, wall hangings, partition between the booths, etc. complemented each other. In the center portion of the restaurant, one could find a queue of tables for customers to sit especially if they came in a large group.
We occupied a Booth to the left hand side of the Restaurant. The Waiter came over with the Menu, and we could not wait to go through it!
One thing about Chinese Restaurants is that the list of items in their Menu are quite exhaustive. There are dishes for Vegetarians, Non - Vegetarians and Eggetarians. Since we were visiting for the first time, we took a couple of suggestions from the waiter and finally decided on the following items which have been described individually:-)
Here is what all we ate: -
1. Soup: - Chicken Clear Soup
-- My husband is a fan of Clear Soups. During Monsoon Season, it is highly recommended as the weather is very cold outside. The Soup was piping hot when it was brought to the table, and the color was of a mustard shade. I could see slices of Spring Onions floating on top and numerous pieces of Shredded Chicken lying at the bottom of the bowl. The rich chicken flavor could be tasted in each spoonful, and the Broth was semi-thick and tasted extremely delicious.
2. Appetizer: - Fried Chicken Wanton
-- One portion comprised of 10 pieces of Wantons. They were very crispy on the outside, while the Chicken chunk in the center was very juicy. In the middle of the plate was a cute little bowl of Red Chilli Sauce that tasted perfect with the Wantons. One plate is too much for one person, so it can be shared between two to three people.
3. Appetizer:- Paneer Manchurian
-- I ordered for a plate of Paneer Manchurian since I did not order for Soup. I requested them to make the dish less spicy. The Paneer had been cut into cubes of equal size. When I took the fork and cut the cube in half, the cloud of steam could be seen circulating in the air. This is how hot the dish was, so decided to wait for a few minutes before taking the first bite. The Paneer cubes had been tossed in the rich soya sauce and garnished with garlic, green chillies and spring onions. I must say, the taste was out of this world! Once you start eating, you won't want to stop!
4. Main Course: - Vegetable Balls in Garlic Sauce
-- My husband prefers this Vegetarian Chinese Side Dish. I too wanted to eat something different instead of the same Manchurian gravy. This dish can be made using Garlic Sauce or Hot Garlic Sauce. We opted for the first one as spicy food is a huge No No for me. The gravy was reddish brown in color, and thick in texture. The Golf Ball size Vegetable Balls were made of rice and minute sizes of vegetables. They were fried just right or else the taste would be like eating burnt toast! I really enjoyed this dish and want to order it again during my next visit.
5. Main Course: - Vegetable Fried Rice
-- I normally prefer rice to noodles, especially if I want to order a gravy. We decided to order one portion of Vegetable Fried Rice. My eyes grew wide as I saw the size of the bowl when it was brought to the table. The portion is ideal for at least 4 people. The rice was tender and the vegetables could be found in huge numbers in the dish. There were Carrots, Beans, American Corn and Spring Onions. The regular Onions had been cut into huge slices. The Vegetable Fried Rice was not too dry, nor too oily. It had the right amount of seasoning which was none other than Salt and Pepper. Since we could not finish the rice, we packed the leftovers.
What is a meal without dessert? Answer: It is incomplete! When I was waiting for my Main Course, I happened to browse the list of Desserts in the Menu. It is easy to decide on what to order especially when your favorite item is in the Menu! Simultaneously, I saw another Customer order for the same item so it gave me a chance to see the quantity and whether it will be sufficient for two people.
6. Fried Ice Cream with Chocolate and Orange Sauce -- This is one of my favorite desserts. As a child, I used to order it often in the Mexican Restaurant. The aroma of the orange marmalade could be smelt as it was plate was placed in front of me. Since it had been poured on top along with the hot chocolate sauce, there was an amalgamation of flavors causing my taste buds to do a little dance! The maida coating was crispy and the color was a deep brown. I dug into the Fried Ice Cream and the ice cream started oozing out like lava from a volcano! It was Vanilla Ice Cream, but it tasted extra sweet thanks to the Orange Sauce. Lucky for me, there were no peanut, pistachio, or almond pieces used to decorate the Fried Ice Cream. I highly recommend this dessert!
The restaurant was crowded even at 10 pm. In spite of this, the service was fast, the waiters were courteous, answered our doubts very patiently, and most importantly - they had knowledge about each of the dishes.
The prices are so reasonable, that we were shocked when we received the bill with such a low amount!
The only drawback of the evening was that the AC was not working! When you eat Chinese Food, the atmosphere has to be very cool or else you will be sweating bullets thanks to the temperature and taste of the food!
Hope you can visit to relive your Childhood, College and Professional Life!:-) Enjoy Authentic Chinese Cuisine at affordable prices, while seated in a cozy place and admiring the lovely ambiance!
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